Guwahati: A rupture on a pipeline supplying water to the city households in Guwahati on Thursday left the entire Kharghuli area submerged in knee-deep water, damaging and destroying several houses and business establishments.
The incident took place at around 9.45 am following a sudden rupture on a pipeline which belonged to a water supply project funded by The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Locals said that a one and half year old child had a miraculous escape as the water gushed out from the pipeline with high speed, flooding the entire area. The impact of the water was so strong that it completely destroyed five shops, several houses and a 10-foot high wall in the locality. They also said that several cycle-rickshaws, motorcycles and autorickshaws were washed out by the gushing water from the pipeline.
Prior to the pipeline rupture on Thursday, another rupture occurred in the JICA pipeline in August this year in the city's Geetanagar area.
"Water started gushing in few minutes after I opened the shop. My child was sleeping in our house located on the opposite side of the road. The impact of the gushing water was so powerful that it destroyed my house in minutes. I was running for my life and discovered that my child was not on bed. I kept shouting out his name and finally I found him being washed out by the water. Thank God that I could rescue it," the child's mother said.
"The water level rose to my waist inside my shop in a few minutes. It was so powerful that my shop was destroyed completely," said Faguni Deka, owner of a shop who had lost her livelihood in the tragedy.
It may be mentioned here that the rupture also washed away a car washing centre in the area which was set up by an individual with his retirement benefit. "I have invested all my retirement benefits to open this car washing centre. I have lost everything. The entire amount of Rs 9 lakh which I invested here has been washed away today," the retired man said.
Project director of the Assam Infrastructure Investment Programme, Pallab Gopal Jha visited the area immediately after the incident and assured adequate compensation for all the damages.
"It is an extremely unfortunate incident, third such case that has occurred. I have to sit with the concerned department to see actually what had happened," Jha told mediapersons.
"We are going to use the surge tank in the pipelines. We have got this advice from IIT Guwahati experts and use of surge tanks will stop recurrence of such tragedies in case of any rupture," Jha said.
Condemning the incident, Leader of the Opposition of Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia urged the Assam Human Rights Commission to take cognizance of the incident that affected people's lives.
"I would like to draw your attention to my letter, dated 29.05.2023 and 10.06.2023, in connection of waterpipe blast in Kharguli, Guwahati, wherein I have clearly raised a few questions which need to be looked into during the enquiry by your esteemed Commission. Again on 02.01.2025 a water pipe blast occurred, the latest since the incident at Kharghuli, Guwahati in 2023, in which one lady died. Besides, due to negligence on the part of the implementing agency, many accidents, minor and major, have occurred in Guwahati, including death of a child due to non-covering of a pit which was dug near Assam Legislative assembly Complex at Ganeshguri to lay water pipes. In view of the above and in greater public interest, I urge you to take cognizance of the incident and take necessary measures to ensure the concerned Department / Board to be more responsible, so that the possible technical glitches can be fathomed and remedial measures are immediately taken as per requirement to prevent recurrence of such incident(s) and ensure safety to life and property of public, as guaranteed by Indian Constitution which we adopted in 1950," read Saikia's letter to the Assam Human Rights Commission.
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